Terrifying Reality of Life Working in an Ivanka Trump Clothing Factory

Donald Trump, his sons, and daughters have all been recipients of significant criticism since the eldest Trump assumed Presidency of the United States earlier this year in January. Ivanka Trump, one of Donald’s daughters, has a fashion label with clothes produced in Southeast Asia.

Asia is one of the world’s few sites of “sweatshops,” or teams of workers employed for low wages, long hours, and deplorable conditions. Workers that produce Ivanka’s clothing have been paid harshly low wages, been intimidated not to join unions, and are compensated bonuses for not taking time off when on their periods. Just one week ago, labor rights activists researching the legitimacy of Ivanka Trump’s suspected-sweatshop employees were jailed after investigating a factory in China. Employees there were found to be paid below minimum wage and subject to verbal abuse from higher-ups.

The clothing lines has several manufacturers spread across Southeast Asia. One such factory is housed in Buma, Indonesia. Employees are bribed with increased overtime pay if they reach outrageously, unreachably high production targets; employees rarely ever reach such targets, allowing plant managers to pay them regular, lower wages instead of overtime wages.

Higher-ups at the largely-Muslim Buma plant have also displayed habits of firing employees prior to Ramadan, allowing higher-ups to not pay Ramadan bonuses, required by law in Indonesia. Just one month ago, in May 2017, 290 employees were fired directly before Ramadan.

Employees who have reached out to news agencies claim to not receive pay raises other than Indonesian government-mandated raises, some employees working there as long as seven years.